Turnbuckle.



No. 716,633 l Painted-nec. 23, 1902.

' J. P. a. T. J. HAlNs.

TUBNBUGKLE.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1902.) (No Model.)

l lwelbt m I JULMM- Umrrno Sturrns Parent* Ormea.

JOHN P. HAlNS AND THORNTON J. HAINS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

TURNBUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,633, dated December 23, 1902.

Application tiled April 12, 1902. Serial No. 102,661. (No model.)

T0 all L11/bont t may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN P. HAINS and THORNTON J. HAINs, citizens of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turnbuckles and Lanyards, of which the following is a specitication.

It is a well-known fact that wire rigging for staying masts and other like structures aboard ship possesses many advantages over the hemp rigging, yet the employment of such wire rigging is accompanied by the objectionable rigidity of such rigging, there being very little elastic stretch in wire rigging to compensate for the varied and sudden pressures to which masts and like structures are subjected. Such wire rigging is now generally secured to the side of the ship, or in the chains by means of lanyards or turnbuckles, the former being usually employed and formed of hemp Or other elastic material whereby the sudden shocks and strains are gradually absorbed within the elastic limit ofthe lanyard without serious injury to either the rigging Or the lanyard. On the other hand, these hemp lanyards after continued use become permanently stretched and required to be set up frequently, a task that is accompanied by a great deal of inconvenience, owing to the fact that the lanyard is usually tarred and exceedingly stitf and unwieldy. It has therefore been proposed to substitute for such hemp or other like lanyards a metal lanyard or turnbuckle which will enable the rigging to be set up readily without disconnecting the various parts. The use of the metal lanyards Or turnbuckles, however, has been objectionable, by reason of the rigid character thereof, which prevents the gradual absorption of the shocks and strains imparted to the rigging and frequently results in the tearing of the bolts from their fastenings in the side of the ship.

The object of our invention is to provide a turnbuckle or metallanyard for rigging which will be elastic to the tensive limit of the rigging to which it is attached and in which the elasticity may be varied to suit the various uses to which the turnbuckle may be applied, and thereby prevent shock or sudden dead pull upon the fastenings of the turnbuckle and relieve dangerous strains due to sudden and excessive pressures.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a turnbuckle embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a section thereof on line o; of Fig. 1and Fig. 3 shows a face and sectional view of one of the spring-disks.

The turnbnckle is shown in the present embodiment of our invention as comprising two similar end portions A A', each comprising a screw-threaded eyebolt o, threaded into a transverse end plate a', each of said end plates at opposite sides thereot` having connected thereto parallel rods d2. At the ends of said rods remote from the head-plates a are the pressure-plates B B, each connected at two opposite points with the rods a2, said rods o2 being connected to one end portion ofthe turnbuckle and sliding freely through the pressure-plate B, connected to the rods a? of the Opposite portion ofthe turnbuckle,where by the plates B B, while being free to move toward and from each other, are guided in their movement by the rods a2. In the present instance of our invention we have shown the rods a2 connected to the plates o' and B, respectively, by means of nuts b, screw-threaded onto the ends of said rods, all as will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. l.

Disposed between the plates B B of the opposite portions of the turnbuckle are the springs C, preferably formed, as shown in Fig. 3, ot' circular spring-disks having a circumferential area e and being oval in shape, as shown by Fig. 3, so that when two of said disks are placed together, as shown by the series of springs in Fig. l, they will present a substantially elliptical form. The central portion of each spring-plate C is preferably lattened slightly and may be increased in thickness, as shown at c', Fig. 3, the spring character of each disk being mainly supplied by the portion of the spring between the central portion c and the circumferential base c, as at dc2, so vthat when two of said disks are placed together with the part c of each in engagement there will be presented a double spring. These spring plates or disks C when assembled as shown in Fig. l are placed between the plates B B of the turnbuckle and y between the rods o2 a2, so that they cannot become displaced, but will be retained in po- IOO sition by the said rods a2, all as will be clear from Figs. l and 2. By this arrangement it will be understood that when the end portions of the turnbuckle are moved to separate the plates B B the disks O may by being turned upon their edges be inserted between the rods a2. It is likewise evident that these plates can be readily removed and replaced without disorganizing the parts of the turnbuckle. It is desirable in the use to which said turnbuckles are applied that the elastic character of the turnbuckle shall be such that slight strains Will be readily absorbed by the elastic qualit-y of the turnbuckle, and yet if the springs C were rendered sufficiently light and elastic to be sensitive to slight pressures theturnbuckle would be useless under heavier strains, as the springs would be compressed beyond their elastic limit and the plates B B be brought up against what would then be inelastic abutments, resulting,r in the transmission of sudden shocks and strains to the screw-bolt, by which the turnbuckle is held in place. To obviate this, we have varied the elastic character of the spring-plates C by forming some of them lighter and more sensitive to strains, While the others are rendered progressively heavier and sensitive only to heavier strains, whereby upon the occurrence of slight strains the very elastic springdisks will yield while the heavier disks will remain unaffected, and upon the increase of such'strain the heavier disks will be gradually called into play, so that by grading the spring character of the disks and adjusting them to the varying tensile strains to which the rigging is applied we secure at all times a turnbuckle that will be elastic up to the limit of tensile strength of the rigging. In thus varying the elastic qualities of the various spring-disks we preferably place two disks of like elastic qualities with their circumferential faces c bearing upon each other and dispose the heaviest or least elastic of such combined disks C adjacent one plate B of the turnbuckle and gradually 'Vary the elastic quality of the other springs from this point to the other plate B, so that, as indicated in Fig. l, the disk O at the left thereof will be heaviest, while that at the right of such series of disks will be the lightest, the quality of the others between these 'two points gradually varying between the elastic qualities of the end disks. By this arrangement also it will be evident that in any particular case the turnbuckle may be adjusted to any degree of elasticity applicable or desirable for its particular use by changing any one or more ot' the spring-disks O.

While we have shown disk O as the preferred embodiment of this portion of our invention, it is to be understood, of course, that we might use other forms of springs of varying elasticity, and while, also, we have shown the construction of the end portions of the turnbuckle as formed of the pieces a and rods etz, it is to be understood, of course, that this portion of the construction might be varied within wide limits, the purpose being to provide a turnbuckle of varying elasticity and adjustable in its elastic quality to the various strains to which it may be subjected.

Should it be desired at any time to tighten or loosen the strain of the turnbuckle upon the rigging, it is only necessary to turn the central or body portion of the turnbuckle by means of a handspike or the like, whereupon, the plates a' being connected with the bolts a by right and left hand screw-threads, the desired adjustment may be secured.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is y l. A turnbuckle comprising end members longitudinally movable with relation to each otherand each comprisingcompression-plates, rods connecting the compression-plates to the opposite members of the turnbuckle, and spring-disks of different stiffness loosely disposed between the compression-plates and between said rods so as to be readily removable, substantially as described.

2. A turnbuckle comprising end members longitudinally movable with relation to each other and each comprising a head-plate and a compression plate, rods connecting the head-plate and compression-plate of each member, the compression-plate of one member serving as a guide for the rods of the other member, and a series of springs of different stiffness bearing against each other to transmit the strain and loosely disposed between the compression plates and held in place between said rods so as to be readily removable.

3. A turnbuckle formed of end members longitudinally movable relative to each other and each comprising a head-plate and a compression-plate, reversely-screw-threaded bolts connected to said 4head-plates, rods joining the head-plate and compression-plate of each member, said rods in each member being disposed at substantially right angles to the plane of the rods in the opposite member, and springs of dierent stiffness interposed between the compression-plates of the two -members and held in position by said rods.

4:. A turnbuckle formed of two end members each comprising a head-plate and a compression plate, rods joining the head plate and compression-plate of each member, and spring-disks of different stiffness interposed between the compression-plates of the two members and held in place by said rods.

JOHN P. HAINS. THORNTON J. HAINS.

In presence of- GEORGE L. EBBERrs, PETER C. HAINs.

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